Products are available for dispensing centerflow sheet products, for example toilet tissue, paper towels, and the like, in a horizontal mode wherein an end of the sheet product is pulled out from the center of the roll. In other words, the roll does not contain a central core member, but a center space or void that increases in size as the sheet product is pulled from the center of the roll.
A concern with the conventional horizontal dispensing centerflow products is that support must be provided to the outermost layers of the rolled product to prevent collapse of the roll onto itself within the dispenser, thereby causing the product to clump and jam in the dispenser. This concern has been addressed by others in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,924 discloses a dispenser wherein the roll is retained within a casing or housing purportedly without risk of deformation or collapsing by a device associated with the casing that applies pressure to all or part of the sides of the roll. In one embodiment, the device for applying pressure is a spring loaded back plate that constantly pushes the roll against the forward face or door. U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,362 describes another type of centerflow dispenser wherein a cover engaged with the housing member compresses the paper roll against the base, thereby allegedly preventing sag of the layered paper product as the void in the paper product grows.
There are distinct disadvantages noted with the conventional devices that support centerflow rolled products by compression. For example, the rolled products may vary in width to such a degree that certain roll products cannot be used with the dispensers. The compression device or material or material also tends to wear or loose its effectiveness over time.
The present invention provides an improved centerflow rolled product dispenser that does not rely on a device or mechanism for compressing the roll within the housing.